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WCU Honors Students at Convocation

Hattiesburg, Miss., April 25, 2013 - William Carey University students, faculty, and staff were honored at the Honors Day Convocation held on April 24 on the Hattiesburg campus. This annual event honors students and faculty for their achievements, while also recognizing scholarship donors and recipients.

Dr. Tommy King, president of WCU, presented the Jenkins - Chastain Citizenship Award to Courtney Daley of Carson and to Patrick Earley of Raceland, La. The highest honor given by the university, it recognizes students who have made the most significant contributions to student and campus life in exemplifying those qualities of citizenship upheld by the university. Earley was also recognized for being 2012-2013 Student Government Association president and was named Outstanding Finance Student.

Fernando Garcia Vega of Metepec, Mexico, and Hannah Brown Holland of Columbus were recognized for being chosen as Mr. and Miss WCU. Mr. and Miss WCU are voted on by the student body as students who best represent the values of the school. Vega was also awarded the Student Leadership Award, and Holland was recognized for serving as 2012-2013 Baptist Student Union president. BSU awards also went to Ben Austin of Zachary, La., Outstanding Service Award, and Landon Adams of Carthage, Outstanding BSU Lead Team member.

The Shoe Leather Award is given to honor individuals who have given extraordinary service to the university, and this year it was presented to Carey graduate Jim Smith, president of Grand Bank in Petal. Cassie Lasher of Lumberton received the Alumni Association School Spirit Award which is given to a graduating senior by the WCU Alumni Association. Lasher also received the Distinguished Speaker Award, and her fellow debate team member Michael Chancellor of Hattiesburg received the Joe Roberts Memorial Forensics Society Award.

Laura Scovel of Wiggins received the Smith-Holliman Outstanding Freshman Writing Award, and Marian Mauseth of Indianola and Danielle Walters of Carriere both received Outstanding English Major Awards. The J. V. McCrory Creative Writing Award went to Alyssa Keyes of Ringgold, Ga. The Outstanding Spanish Student Award went to Yaila Zotzmann of Werne, Germany. Randi Clark of Purvis was recognized for receiving the Alpha Chi National Alfred H. Noelle Scholarship.

Michelle Wade of Semmes, Ala., received the Senior Music Award, the Outstanding Student Teacher in Music Education, the Delta Omicron music fraternity Senior Honor Pin, and the Senior Performance Award in Piano. Gary McCullum of Laurel received the Mary Ann Johnston Griffith Undergraduate Elementary Music Award, Haley Jones of Carriere received the Anne Folsom Undergraduate Middle School Music Award, and Julissa Jenkins of Pascagoula received the Phyllis J. Merritt Undergraduate High School Music Award. Brandy Cramer of Gulfport received the Senior Performance Award in Voice.

Alisha Austin of Zachary, La., was recognized as the Outstanding Elementary Education Major, and Allison Shows of Hattiesburg as the Outstanding Secondary Education Major. Karen Holifield Goode received the J.E. Byrd Memorial Award for students in the Cooper School of Missions and Biblical Studies. Charrier Berard of Sumrall was named Outstanding Accounting Student, and Rebecca Lefler of Petal Outstanding Management/Marketing Student. Nikesh Singh of Kathmandu, Nepal received the Kappa Mu Epsilon Award as the outstanding mathematics student.

Andrew Porter of Waynesboro received the Freshman Biology Award, April Jowers of Petal received the Freshman Chemistry Award, and Talal Younes of Picayune received the Senior Biology Award and the Senior Chemistry Award. Miss Carey Courtney Daley and Dr. Frank Baugh, assistant professor of psychology, dean of the school of natural and behavioral sciences, and graduate dean, were honored as the 2013 HEADWAE student and faculty member of the year, respectively.

Sean Hodges of Vancleave received the Allen Williams Award. The award is given to an athlete who shows Christian character and leadership abilities and is named in memory of Allen Williams of Petal, a former member of the Crusader baseball team.

For the Class of May 2013, the Nurse Crusader Award went to Chaka Jackson of Hattiesburg and the Nightingale Scholar Award went to Joshua Thompson of Purvis. For the Class of August 2013, the Nurse Crusader Award went to Aaron Rayborn of Hattiesburg, and the Nightingale Scholar Award went to Sallyanne Adams of Laurel. Josh Holifield, a first-year College of Osteopathic Medicine student, received The Randolph J. and Brenda H. Ross for Excellence in Anatomy Award. The award, established by Dr. Ross and his wife, is given to a first-year medical student who has the highest Grade Point Average in anatomy.

The Outstanding Administrator of the Year was Dr. Daniel Caldwell, professor of religion and dean of the Cooper School of Missions and Biblical Studies. The Outstanding Faculty Member of the Year was Edison Williams, instructor of philosophy and language and literature, and the Faculty Research Award went to Dr. Lorie Watkins, associate professor of language and literature. Charlie Isaac received the Outstanding Security Officer Award, Pam Blake received the Cafeteria Worker of the Year Award, and Nick Holland, undergraduate admissions counselor/recruiter was named Outstanding Staff Member of the Year.

Jennifer DeMelo of Kenner, La., was recognized as the Miss WCU Scholarship Pageant winner. Also, Julie Falgout of Hattiesburg was recognized as Miss Southern Magnolia, Chelsea Rick of Fulton as Miss Amory Railroad Festival, and Shelby Ryals of Sumrall, as Miss Spirit of the South.

Also recognized were students designated as Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges, Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athletes, and SSAC All-Academic.

A celebration lunch was held following the Convocation.

Caption:

Pictured is Dr. Tommy King, president of William Carey University, welcoming everyone to Honors Day Convocation held on April 24 in Smith Auditorium. Numerous awards were given and scholarships and achievements recognized among WCU students, faculty, staff, and supporters.